Bridgeton pioneer., 1887-09-01
15Oth ANNIVERSARY.
Interesting Exercises at Deer
field Presbyterian Church.
A Grand Success Of the Whole
Affair.

luo QuleU lluule village VI beeIHtlo
was all agog with excitement a week
ago today over the preparations
for the one hundred and fiftieth ami
versary of the old Deerfield Presby-
| terian Church.
| Nature had provided day which
for beauty and comfort could not
| have been excelled The sun shone
| brightly, and cool breezes waited
| through the air during the entire day.
Those who had in charge the ar
rangements for the celebration left
nothing undone that could help to
make it success. Hundreds of Wis
itors were expected, and ample accom-
modations had been provided. Weary
horses after being driven many miles
were taken good care of and fed, while
the people found large canvas avn
| ing on the east side of the church
under which they could rest and enjoy
the cool breezes.
The exterior of the Church which for
| 116 years has stood the sun of summer
and the storms of winter was but little
changed. The caves of the roof over
the entrance were draped with bunting
while from the centre hung large
anchor Inside, however, the scene
was different. The appearance of the
Church was entirely changed. From
the chandeliers and columns which
supported the gallery hung beautiful
flowers. The pulpit and platform was
filled with plants and over spreading
the pulpit was a large arch, on it were
the words "Happy Greeting to All.
Holiness Becometh Thine House, o
Lord, Forever" Suspended from the
centre of the arch hung a banner upon
which was "1737-1897. Deerfield Pres
byterian Church. 150th Anniversary"
On table in the pulpit was the first
communion service, made Of pewter,
and was loaned by DIR. j. Is. Potter, OF
this city, who has them in his posses
| sion.
Long before ten o'clock, the hour set
| for the morning service, the three hun
dred seats in the pretty Church were
crowded, and hundreds were unable
to gain admittance and stood by near
the windows. Back of the pulpit was
the choir consisting of ten persons.
Dr. Frank Hustled and T. r. Janvier,
of this city, being among the number.
An orchestra of three pieces accompa
MED the singing.
Upon the platform in the morning
were Rev. A. G. Snyder, pastor of the
church; VIM. Jones, Glendale, Ohio;
David Jones, Bath, Pa; r. Hamill
Davis, D. D., Delaware, N. j.; Rev.
James D. Hunter, Greencastle, Pa;
Rev. Mr.. King, Vineland; Rev. DR..
Ewing, Pittsgrove; Rev. J. G. Bowen,
of the Cumberland County Bible So
ciety; Rev. Allen H. Brown, of the
Synod of New Jersey; Rev. Robert
Burt, of Warren county, Pa, and Hon.
Clifford Stanley Simms, Mt. Holly.
After the usual opening exercises,
the historical address, by the pastor,
was announced, and Rev. Mr.. Snyder
advanced step by step with the his
tory of the church, from its earliest
organization to the present day. 1t
would be impossible to give in detail
one tenth of the valued address which
fell from the lips of the speaker. He
said:
We take pleasure in looking back
into the early childhood, and note the
changes that God has wrought in
that time. The speaker said he found
some embarrassment while making
out his history, from the fact that a
previous history had been made some
sixteen years ago, and that it would be
impossible to give the history of the
church without repetition of the
history already published.
The Deerfield Presbyterian Church
was founded sometime between 1882
and 1887 but more probably the latter
year. 1t was nine years without
pastor, but the words of Divine Truth
were given to the church by God, who
sent a number of his most precious
ministers TO stand up anu preacn TO
the people. The church grew, and it
was encouraged to call a pastor.
Rev. Daniel Buckingham was the
first pastor of the Church, and he also
preached at Pittsgrove. He was fol
lowed by Rev. Andrew Hunter, who
preached also at Greenwich. He was
| called in 1146 and died a. wear LATER
The Church was now without a reg
ular minister for four.years, and then
Rev. Samuel Williams preached for
two years. Enoch Green followed in
1857, and preached nine years, dying
in 1776. His remains lie under the
church, and marble slab covers the
spot, which was presented by Dr.J Bar